


Non sequitur

by smooth



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Also a lot of denial and jealousy, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, here have a silly soccercop thingy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-15 22:12:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2245164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smooth/pseuds/smooth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Alison.”</p><p>“What?” Comes the muffled response from behind Alison’s hand.</p><p>“Did Beth try to kiss you like physically? Not with… her eyes or whatever?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Non sequitur

**Author's Note:**

> Non sequitur: an argument in which its conclusion does not follow from its premises
> 
> For some reason, I have the inspiration to write Soccer Cop only if it's either fluff or super cheesy angst/idk what exactly. This is the latter. Apologies, especially for the cheesiest of beginnings.
> 
> Also mentions of Cophine and a very tiny-winy mention of a previous Lumberpunk relationship (really, it's only once).

Alison Hendrix is not a lesbian.

This is a fact everybody who’s ever met her knows. She likes tall buff frames, scruffy beards, strong arms that can enwrap her, firm chests that can offer her the security feminine ones never would. She likes deep voices, strong jaws, broad shoulders. And other masculine, you know… stuff that good girls shouldn’t think about until they’re married.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t want all this stuff.

Alison Hendrix does as well.

Because she’s not a lesbian.

Except that now she’s listening to her best friend shamelessly flirting with some random brunette. She knows she’s not a lesbian. She just doesn’t like it when other people look at her friend like _that_.

There is no one quite like Beth. Sarah and Cosima are not any less dear to Alison but Beth is something different. They have this odd bond. Understand each other without words. Always know if the other needs a shoulder to cry on or prefers being alone for some time in a difficult situation. Sometimes Alison feels that if something bad happened to Beth, she would probably die.

Their friendship is an amazingly strong thing.

She’s known about Beth’s sexuality, far before the girl herself admitted her attraction not only to men but to all other genders as well. She’s never really believed her mother’s stupid warnings like “Don’t go near _those_ people, they’ll try to” _cautious looks around, voice lowering_ “convert you.” _trembling fingers do the cross sign._ Beth had never showed any intentions of trying to “convert” Alison.

Really, not even once. Why the hell wouldn’t Beth like her?

Not that she wanted Beth to like her. She wanted boys to like her.

Because she liked boys. And she was _not_ a lesbian.

“I really like your name though,” Beth’s voice interrupts her thoughts. “It’s like there’s some secret code hidden in it. I mean, Angela, yeah, cool. But Angela DeAngelis? Sounds like something magical.”

The brunette quirks a thin eyebrow, her lips twisting into a proud smirk.

“I know, you’re not the first one to tell me that. Although,” Her features soften and she gives Beth a meaningful glance, “you’re the first one to say _magical._ ” The last word is soaked with equal parts intrigue and disbelief.

Beth grins and cocks her head to a side playfully. “I’m just being honest, _Angela_.” The other girl visibly shudders from Beth’s tone.

This is the most ridiculous thing Alison has ever seen. She probably shouldn’t be seeing it at all, drinking and dancing and having fun instead (that’s what parties are for after all, not being sloppily leaned next to a half-opened door and eavesdropping on your friend’s intents to woo some fucking who- okay, alright). Still, she feels like it’s an obligation of hers to put an end to this, whatever this is (because honestly, Beth can do so much better).

“Elizabeth!” Her voice rings a bit too loudly, startling both girls. Angela even slips and almost falls down but Beth grabs her by the waist at the last moment.

Both of them look into each other’s eyes for a few moments. Beth smiles and Angela smiles back, already infatuated.

“Wow,” she breathes, “thank god I have my Princess Charming.”

Beth’s smile grows bigger and Alison’s going to slap somebody very soon.

“Elizabeth,” She repeats louder, “I’m sorry to interrupt your romance but I need your help.” She adds a motherly frown and even puts her hands on her hips.

Beth apologizes to her what-could-have-been-a-decent-lay-for-the-night, promises she’ll be back in a minute and follows Alison into the silence of a nearby bathroom with a grumpy expression.

“It’s so not cool, Ali,” She pouts and crosses her arms, “clam jamming me for the second time already this week.”

Alison snorts and also crosses her arms. “Oh, please, Elizabeth, we both know I’m just looking out for you. To be honest, your taste in women is horrendous.”

Beth narrows her eyes a bit. “Josh from Menchie’s wasn’t a girl and you still didn’t let me get his phone number.”

Alison blinks a couple of times, faking not remembering the overly confident spiky-haired blond whose cocky face is like engraved on the inside of her brain.

“Oh, that one,” She waves her hand dismissively. “God, didn’t you see him? He could have been a total asshole, for all you know.”

“Yeah,” Beth grumbles, “now I’ll never know.”

Nevertheless, she leaves the party with Alison a few minutes later, missing her chance with the hot brunette named Angela.

\--

Beth surely doesn’t waste her time, Alison thinks bitterly as her fingers violently thrust her fork into her salad. It’s only the second week of school but some freshman skank has already caught her best friend’s eye and Beth’s currently hitting on her, very successfully as it seems. Nobody can resist the Childs’ charms, as her friend likes to say, and Alison really wants Beth to be happy.

If only her preferences in people weren’t so disgusting.

“…and I was like “Fuck you. You can sleep with the whole planet for all I care.” It’s not like I really thought something would become out of it. Pfft,” Her friend Cosima rambles from her left side.

“Cos, you’re bein’ a total ass,” Her other friend Sarah notes from the right. “She decided to be honest with you and it’s not even like she cheated.”

“Then why would she even mention that guy flirting with her?” Cosima bangs on the table with her fist, obviously upset.

“ _Because relationships are built on mutual trust and respect_ ,” Sarah says with a mocking tone and even though Alison’s not looking at her, she’s sure the other girl’s rolling her eyes. “At least that was what you told me when Frenchie was here and you two were bein’ all lovey-dovey.”

“I honestly believed that shit,” Cosima replies grimly. “Such shit,” She repeats and her shoulders drop.

Sarah snorts. “Thank God I’m not gay, your lives are full of drama.”

“I’m not gay, you bitch,” Cosima reaches and pushes her shoulder lightly.

“Whatever, homo,” Sarah shakes her head then suddenly pokes Alison’s ribs who lets a high shriek and jumps a bit from her seat.

“What the Dickens, Sarah?!” She whisper-yells at her friend.

Sarah just raises her eyebrows. “What’s wrong with you, Hendrix? Haven’t stopped looking at Beth all day.”

Alison feels her cheeks warm up but her head’s still up and her voice steady when she replies. “I’m just worried for Elizabeth’s well-being.”

Cosima lifts her head from her fries with a frown. Sarah blinks confusedly.

“Somethin’ wrong with her?” She asks.

“She’s spending her time mindlessly chasing after people who are obviously not on her level.”

The two other girls exchange glances.

“What?” Cosima finally asks.

Alison sighs. Thank god she’s in Beth’s life to protect her because these two never notice anything.

“She’s trying to court some painfully average individuals. I honestly think she’s better than this but she obviously doesn’t realize her own value.”

Sarah and Cosima have the funniest expressions on their faces but Alison can’t figure out what they mean for the life of hers.

“What?” She hisses anxiously after they just gawk at her for a couple of minutes.

Cosima’s the first one to recover from whatever had gotten into her.

“Nothing.” She shrugs. “But like, what do you plan on doing about it?”

“What I always do,” Alison shrugs in return before standing up and proceeding towards one of the freshmen’s tables, missing the glances her friends give each other.

\--

Beth is furious. It seems Alison’s mission in life has become ruining her every chance with potential fuck-buddies. Or maybe even something more, who knows. The thing is she hasn’t had sex for more than a month and a relationship for at least half a year and that’s all her friend’s fault, directly or not.

Alison is strongly possessive, Beth gets it. But she should be mature enough by now to be okay with sharing her friends with other people. Unless she’s just envious of the Childs’ charm.

But no, Ali’s not like that. They’ve been best friends for years. Ali loves her.

Ali loves her. And goddamn, she loves Ali. But not like that. Ali’s straight and Beth respects that. It’s not like she’s ever been aware of the way her friend’s chest rises and falls quickly when she’s excitedly chattering about something, or how her skin flushes when she’s angry or embarrassed (because with all due respect, Alison embarrasses herself quite a lot – but Beth loves that about her), or how impossibly soft and warm her lips are when they touch Beth’s cheek sometimes.

She just notices things about people, that’s all.

Right now what she notices about Alison though is that the girl is absolutely obnoxious and she’s getting the urge to hit her with something.

“What. The. Fuck.” She roars once they’re out of the crowded cafeteria.

“What?” Alison blinks innocently.

“Don’t what me!” Beth takes a step forward. “You’re screwing up all my attempts of getting a date, why the hell are you doing that?”

Alison makes an indignantly surprised face. “Elizabeth, I would never-”

But Beth’s had enough of this crap. “You were sure Carrie was a prostitute, Josh looked like a douchebag, Angela was _horrendous_ for some reason, Oliver was staring at my boobs the whole time. Now let’s see what flaw you’re gonna make up about Sydney.”

Alison opens and closes her mouth a couple of times.

“She’s just a freshman, Alison,” Beth says tiredly. “You don’t even know her.”

Alison bites her lips and thinks, thinks, _thinks_ because she really doesn’t know that Sydney girl. Just like she hadn’t known any of the previous ones.

“I’m just scared you’re gonna get yourself hurt, Beth,” She admits softly.

“How do you even know if I’d get hurt or not?!” Beth waves her hands erratically.

“I don’t!” Alison yells back. “They just- they just don’t look good enough for you! You deserve something better!”

Something flashes in Beth’s pupils so quickly Alison doesn’t even have the time to dwell on it. “Oh, yeah?” Beth raises an eyebrow. “Like who?” She steps forward.

It takes a little less than a minute for Alison to realize what exactly Beth is implying. Her whole face fills up with blood, her throat gets so dry she almost chokes.

“No…” She whispers as Beth takes another step towards her. “No, it’s not what you think.”

“Isn’t it?” Beth’s voice is so low she has to strain her ears to hear her.

Alison gets why everybody is so attracted to her friend. The way Beth looks at her (lips, specifically), pupils wide, mouth slightly open as if getting ready to kiss her is really um, well. _Inviting_.

She lets herself gaze stupidly at Beth’s face for longer than she’s comfortable admitting. Beth is not doing anything except looking at her. But it’s enough apparently to set her insides ablaze.

Not enough to drown her mom’s helpful voice which reminds her that she is, in fact, _not_ a lesbian.

“Oh my God,” Alison practically jumps back. “My mom was right. You really are trying to convert me.”

Beth also retreats, a perturbed expression on her face. “What?” She mumbles, eyes trying to blink away the hurt.

Alison is already running down the hall so she doesn’t see.

\--

They haven’t talked for three days now. Alison is still torn between guilt and the revelation her best friend wants to have her way with her. Beth is just incredibly quiet.

Sarah and Cosima, being the good friends that they are, had decided to give them each their space but it’s already Friday and the situation doesn’t look like it’s going to get better. Which brings them to another decision – to talk to Beth and Alison, respectively, and at least try to help. After all, that is what friends are for even though Sarah is still trying to get over her ex-boyfriend Cal and Cosima and her kinda-girlfriend Delphine, an exchange student until recently, are dealing with some serious shit of their own.

The plan has a few weak points, one of them being Beth stubbornly avoiding all of them and entering the cafeteria at lunch, holding a square-built guy’s hand. It’s Paul Dierden, the quarterback of the football team, a professional bully and womanizer that their whole posse hates but especially Alison because he often mocks her mercilessly for being in the drama club.

 _Oh_ , Sarah and Cosima think startled. _It’s that bad._

Alison is still buying food but she turns around just in time to see Beth grabbing Paul’s face and kissing him almost violently.

The tray falls loudly on the ground, food spilling all over the place and attracting everybody’s attention. Next thing that’s happening, Alison’s fleeing the cafeteria before anyone can stop her.

Sarah and Cosima look at each other for a moment before Cosima stands up and runs after. Beth clutches Paul’s face even harder, almost desperately kissing him, before Sarah grabs her hand, forcefully separating them, and takes her out.

\--

Cosima finds Alison in the rehearsal room, sitting on the stage, legs hanging almost lifelessly. She hesitates before slowly climbing the stairs and plopping ungracefully next to her friend.

For a couple of minutes neither says a word.

Then Alison croaks. “I’m so stupid.”

Cosima shrugs, snorts. “Yes, you are.”

Her friend gives her a puzzled look before emitting a burble-like sound and shaking her head. “Thank you, Cosima.”

“No, for real,” Cosima shrugs again. “Especially for not telling me what’s been bothering you.”

Alison winces, laces her fingers. “It’s Elizabeth,” She confesses eventually.

“That much I figured.”

Alison sighs. “She came on to me.”

The color drains from Cosima’s face. “You don’t mean-”

“No, Cosima!” Alison’s eyes widen comically then she sighs. “She tried to kiss me.”

Cosima almost chokes on her saliva. “She did?!”

“Well,” Alison pauses for a moment, “at least I think she did.”

Cosima blinks a couple of times. “You think?” She repeats with a suspicious tone, eyes narrowing.

“She just started yelling at me for _screwing her attempts of getting a date_ ,” Alison makes air-quotes with her fingers, rolls her eyes, “and I tried to explain to her that all I want for her is to be with somebody, you know… decent. These people are not suitable for her, everybody can see that. And then all of a sudden she came really close to me, making suggestive comments and looking at me like- like-” At this point Alison’s face is dangerously red, looking like it actually might explode.

“Like what?” Cosima urges her softly.

“Like she was begging me to kiss her!” Alison’s voice echoes through the empty room and she immediately slaps her palm on her lips.

It’s a bit too silent for a moment. Then Cosima decides to speak up. “Alison.”

“What?” Comes the muffled response from behind Alison’s hand.

“Did Beth try to kiss you like physically? Not with… her eyes or whatever?”

Alison stays quiet for a few moments. Then slowly removes her hand from her mouth. “I-” She looks at Cosima completely lost.

“Alison,” Cosima’s voice rises slightly, “did you want to kiss her?”

The question is so preposterous that Alison’s first reaction is to laugh. But Cosima looks deadly serious and Alison huffs instead. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you wanting to kiss Beth. Is that a thing or not?”

This is getting absurd. Alison doesn’t have to stay here and listen to this nonsense. “Cosima,” She pronounces very slowly, “I am not a lesbian.”

“This is not what I asked.”

Okay. That’s it.

“You know what?” Alison says, hopping off the stage and sets out for the door. “Eff you.”

\--

“What the fuck, Sarah?” Beth yells, finally managing to pull off her wrist from her friend’s iron grip.

“That’s what I should be askin’, Childs,” Sarah frowns at her. “What’s this shite that’s been goin’ on?”

Beth grumbles, rolls her eyes, crosses her arms. “That’s none of your business.”

“Like hell it ain’t,” Sarah really looks pissed. “Alison threw her food and ran away when she saw you makin' out with Big Dick Paul. Why the fuck would you even look at him?”

“Well,” Beth shrugs almost sheepishly, “they don’t call him Big Dick for nothing.”

Disgust contorts Sarah’s otherwise beautiful face. “Ew. You shagged him? For real?”

“No, but I could’ve if it weren’t for you to ruin everything. Seriously, you’re just like Alison.”

“Ah, good thing you’re mentioning her again,” Sarah takes a menacing step forward. “What did you do to her?”

Beth clenches her fists tightly. “Why the fuck are you blaming _me_?”

Sarah grabs her collar and hisses, “What. Did you. Do.”

Beth tries to pry her fingers off her shirt. “Let me- Let me go!” She finally roars and surprisingly enough, Sarah does. “She thinks I’m trying to _convert_ her,” She says the penultimate word with obvious mockery.

Sarah’s eyebrows knit. “Convert her,” She repeats puzzled.

“Yeah, to liking women,” Beth tiffs in futile attempts to hide the fact she's actually really hurt.

Sarah of course doesn’t buy it, that much is obvious. Instead she quirks an eyebrow. “Are you?”

Beth groans loudly. “Dude, come on, you know that’s not even possible!”

“So you do want her to like women,” Her friend presses.

“Whaaat, I never said that,” Beth’s forehead wrinkles in distress.

Sarah just continues looking at her and she sighs. “Okay, I may have tried to challenge her but it looks kinda suspicious when somebody tries to fuck up your dates without having a particular reason to do so.”

It looks like Sarah’s heard only one word of all this. “Challenge?”

Beth really wants to punch her. “I just… stepped closer and gave her one of the, you know, Childs’ looks.”

“The one where you look at someone under your lashes and stare at their lips?”

“Yeah,” Beth can’t help but grin. “How the fuck do you even know?”

“Are you kidding me, that shit totally had me droolin’ a couple of times.” Sarah says, honest as ever. “If I batted for the other team, we woulda banged a long time ago.”

The two of them stare at each other for a couple of moments before erupting into crazy laughter. When it finally ceases, Sarah’s face becomes serious again. “So?” She urges.

Beth sighs and bows her head. “I don’t know, she went crazy. She thought I wanted to kiss her.”

“Did you?”

Beth’s head snaps upwards. “Huh?”

“Did you want to kiss her?”

Beth pauses, inhales, exhales. “Duude…” She drawls. “She and I are like best friends.”

Sarah leans her shoulder on the wall. “And?”

“And what?” Beth’s eyelid twitches nervously. “She’s straight.”

“Beth-”

“Stop messing with my head,” Beth’s voice rises involuntarily. Sarah opens her mouth but Beth beats her to it. “No, Sarah, for real. Just shut up, okay?”

And before the other girl can say anything else, Beth’s gone.

\--

Alison’s shoelaces untie themselves, making her stumble a couple of times until she finally falls, face flat on the ground. Her palms are grazed, she has bitten her lip so hard it’s bleeding, but the most hurt part of her is her pride.

Cosima actually had the guts to ask her if she wanted to kiss Elizabeth. What kind of a friend would ask such an inappropriate question? She knows that Alison is heterosexual. She knows Alison just wants the best for her friends. And who is better for Beth than-

Alison sits up and leans her back on a locker. Than who? Who is in fact the best choice for her friend? Not her anyway. Because she is not-

Somebody’s squeaking sneakers interrupt her thoughts. A second later, their owner, a tall dark-haired girl, appears, sees Alison, gasps, trips and falls on the exact same spot Alison had fallen.

The two of them gape hopelessly at each other.

“Ali…” Beth mutters quietly.

“Are you following me?” Alison tries to snap at her but it doesn’t quite sound like it.

Beth sighs deeply. “I’m not following you,” She puts her head in her hands and sighs again.

The silence lasts for a couple of minutes before Beth speaks up again. “I wasn’t trying to convert you, you know. It's beside the point it doesn’t even work like that. I wasn’t, really.”

“Yeah, it showed,” This time Alison’s tone has just as much bite as she wants it to. “You making out with Paul was pretty self-explanatory.”

“That was low, I admit,” Beth gulps heavily. “I don't even like him. I’m sorry.”

Alison’s features soften but Beth’s head is still down and she doesn’t see.

“I guess it was a mutual misunderstanding. Maybe I’m a bit too possessive.”

Beth lifts her head with a hopeful expression. “So you’re not mad at me?”

Alison shrugs. “I’ll get over it.”

Beth’s shoulders sag a bit but she tries to offer a smile. “Fair enough.”

They stay silent for a while. Now Alison’s the one to break the silence. “I’m sorry too,” She mumbles. “For trying to control your love life. Your taste is admittedly horrible,” Beth glares at her, “but I’ll try not to meddle in anymore.”

Beth tries to remain serious but ends up giggling in the end. “You know, now that you say that, Sarah said that if she liked girls, she would have slept with me. And you would have approved because she’s our friend.” She pauses then giggles again. “Damn, now I truly am sorry Sarah’s not into chicks.”

Alison tries to laugh as well but it comes out a little more forced. “Well,” She tries to insert lightly, “Sarah’s not the best girlfriend material if you think about it.”

Beth waves her hand freely. “Nah, she’s awesome. She’s hot, she’s fun and I bet she’s kinky as hell in bed. Eh?” She laughs and pokes Alison’s ribs with a finger.

The thing is Alison is not having fun anymore. “She is utterly irresponsible and often acts like a child in serious situations,” She replies sharply. “I really think you’d be better off as friends either way.”

Beth is either really not sensing her irritation or just trying to fuel it even further. “Wait till Sarah hears about it,” She shakes her head with amusement. “She’ll be super pissed we’re trying to make up with you dissing her and if I were her girlfriend-”

“Holy fishsticks, Elizabeth!” Alison practically screeches at her. “If you like her so much, go have kinky sex with her!”

Beth shuts up and looks at her. Alison feels her cheeks redden but before she can say something else, her friend leaps forward and kisses her.

Alison’s heart stops.

And she’s not a lesbian but her hands tug desperately at Beth’s hair and her teeth bite her lower lip. And she has no excuse for doing it.

They kiss until they almost suffocate. Beth pulls away first, panting, and stares at her. Alison should probably say something but her mind is still kind of foggy.

“It isn’t what I think, right?” Beth whispers.

Alison’s brain clears up immediately and tells her to get up and leave, _now_.

“Do it,” Beth grits through her teeth, “Tell me I forced you into this. Tell me this isn’t what you want and I’ll never do it again.”

Alison keeps looking at her, absolutely helpless. “I don’t know what I want,” She almost sobs and thinks, _This is the end, I lost her, I ruined everything, she’ll hate me._

Beth laughs instead and it sounds genuine. “Sounds like a promising start to me,” She says and god, her smile is the most beautiful thing in the world and Alison may not be a lesbian but right now she’s really effing happy she’s not exactly straight either.

 

 


End file.
